Bastard

Site

Definition

Evidence

Quotes

Mrs. Bucket: In all the years you've been saying you're going to get out of that bed, I've yet to see you set foot on the floor.Grandpa Joe: Maybe if the floor wasn't so cold,2

Grampa Joe discovers that Charlie does, in fact, have the last golden ticket:

The color was rushing to his cheeks, and his eyes were wide open, shining with joy, and in the center of each eye, right in the very center in the black pupil, a little spark of wild excitement was slowly dancing. Then the old man took a deep breath, and suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, an explosion seemed to take place inside him. He thre up his arms and yelled Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!And, at the same time, his long bony body rose up out of the bed and his bowl of soup went flying into the face of Grandma Josephine, and in one fantastic leap, this old fellow of ninety-six and a half, who hadn't been out of bed these last twenty years, jumped on to the floor and started doing a dance of victory in his pajamas.3

Grandpa Joe: Look at me. Up and about. I haven't done this in twenty years.4

Mrs. Salt (panting): Go slower!5

Narrator: Grandpa Joe was up all the next day and he didn't even get tired.6

Observations

Grandpa Joe and Charlie were half running...7

Despite being in bed for more than twenty years, Grandpa Joe seems remarkably spry during his dance number.8

When he realizes the ticket is real, Grandpa Joe leaps out of bed, yells yippee and begins dancing. When they agree he can go, he dances again.9

Analysis

In the early stages of the story it is clearly established that Grandpa Joe does not contribute to the household in a meaningful way. He does not work and, in fact, has not left his bed in twenty years. He offers criticism of the situation, but is unwilling to work to help improve it.

He initially claims that he is unable to help and offers a litany of excuses why he can not get out of bed. Things change rapidly when Charlie finds the golden ticket. He is suddenly able to get out of bed and engage in quite a stunning display of physical prowess.

Not only does he get out of bed, but he begins capering and dancing about. This is hardly what one would expect of a 96 and a half year old man, nor of one who hadn't put his feet on the floor in years. Some might argue that it was purely adrenalin allowing him a brief burst of activity, but a careful reading of the book reveals that he is able to run the following day and to engage in activities which leave others in the tour group winded and asking for a pause10.

It is worth noting that it is Mrs. Salt who is left asking for a respite rather than one of the Gloops. Based on the depiction of her in both the book and movie, she appears to be in reasonably good health, certainly better health than one would expect from a 96 year-old man who had spent twenty years in bed.

This page last modified on July 10, 2018
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